New Orleans Modern Narrow House

Empty lots in New Orleans are hard to come by, especially in coveted historic neighborhoods like the Lower Garden District.

The Farouki family searched for more than a year before setting sights on the narrow 18-foot-wide site that would become their home. With three-foot side yards, their new two-story house is only 12-feet wide at the front and 9-1/2-feet wide in the rear.

As designers, the couple understood that a narrow lot with such close neighbors meant that little sunlight would make it to the ground level. They also placed a high value on the kitchen and living spaces where they spent the most time as a family. By flip-flopping the traditional layout of a house, the couple created sunlit treehouse-like living spaces upstairs with cozy bedroom spaces downstairs.